In 1986, Canadian artist Michael Keirstead created the “The Jam Part I - A History” to illustrate “the musical influences that shaped the evolution of Rock music.” It’s a fantastic piece filled with Rock & Roll Hall of Famers from the 1950s through the 1970s. Here is who is on the poster (everyone is in the Rock Hall except those that are linked):

Steven Tyler Steve Miller Joe Walsh David Lee Roth Eddie Van Halen John Kay Michael McDonald Leon Russell Joe Cocker John Fogerty Levon Helm Robbie Robertson Elton John Carlos Santana Peter Frampton Bon Scott Frank Zappa Robert Fripp Roy Orbison Art Garfunkel Paul Simon Bo Diddley B.B. King Todd Rundgren Ray Charles Ian Anderson Duane Allman Paul Rodgers Bob Dylan Bruce Springsteen Jeff Beck Eric Clapton Bob Seger Peter Gabriel Phil Collins Tina Turner Jerry Lee Lewis Stevie Wonder

John Paul Jones Jimmy Page Robert Plant John Bonham Jimi Hendrix Nick Mason Rick Wright David Gilmour Roger Waters Elvis Presley Marc Bolan Jim Croce Chuck Berry Little Richard Buddy Holly Jim Morrison Kin Hensley Pete Townshend Keith Moon Roger Daltrey John Entwistle Janis Joplin Brian Jones Mick Jagger Ron Wood Charlie Watts Bill Wyman Keith Richards Jon Lennon Yoko Ono George Harrison Ringo Starr Paul McCartney Alice Cooper Grace Slick Muddy Waters Bill Haley Johnny Winter Don Everly

Burton Cummings Cat Stevens Dave Davies Ray Davies Alvin Lee Eric Burdon Rod Stewart David Bowie Sly Stone Ritchie Blackmore Ronnie James Dio Ian Gillan Ozzy Osbourne Jeff Lynne Ronnie Van Zant Rick Wakeman Jon Anderson Ted Nugent Ann Wilson Jerry Garcia David Crosby Graham Nash Stephen Stills Neil Young Billy Gibbons Dusty Hill Lou Reed Mick Fleetwood Stevie Nicks Van Morrison Manfred Mann Keith Emerson Greg Lake Carl Palmer Carl Wilson Cass Elliot

Keirstead followed up that work with “The Jam Part II - Long Live Rock & Roll” which continued the project showing the following decades of rock stars (with a slightly more Canadian bias).

Here are the people illustrated (this time Hall of Famers are linked - most are not in the Hall of Fame yet):

Alan Parsons Alanis Morissette Angus Young Annie Lennox Anthony Keidis Art Alexakis Axl Rose Beck Billy Idol Billie Joe Armstrong Billy Joel Billy Squier Debbie Harry Bob Geldoff Bonnie Raitt Bono Bret Michaels Brian Johnson Brian May Brian Setzer Bruce Dickinson Bryan Adams Chris Cornell Chris Robinson Chrissie Hynde Colin James Courtney Love Dan McCafferty Daniel Johns Dave Pirner Dave Stewart David Coverdale Dave Grohl Dee Snider Dexter Holland Don Henley Doug Fieger Eddie Vedder Elvis Costello Elvis Presley Fred Durst Freddie Mercury Gary Cherone Gavin Rossdale

Geddy Lee Gene Simmons George Thorogood Gordon Downie Ian Astbury Iggy Pop Jakob Dylan James Hetfield Jason Newsted Jeff Healey Jeff Martin Jimmy Vaughan Jim Cuddy Joan Jett Joe Elliot Joe Jackson Joe Perry Joe Satriani Joe Strummer Joey Ramone John Deacon John Mellencamp John Rzeznik Johnny Rotten Jon Bon Jovi Jonathan Davis Jonny Lang Kenny Wayne Shepherd Kevin Dubrow Kid Rock Kirk Hammett Klaus Meine Kurt Cobain Lars Ulrich Layne Staley Lemmy Kilmister Lenny Kravitz Liam Gallagher Lita Ford Lou Gramm Marilyn Manson Mark Knopfler Meatloaf

Melissa Etheridge Michael Stipe Michael Hutchence Mick Mars Mike Reno Neil Peart Nikki Sixx Pat Benatar Patti Smith Paul Stanley Perry Farrell Phil Anselmo Randy Rhoads Ric Ocasek Richard Davies Richie Sambora Rik Emmett Rob Thomas Rob Zombie Robin Zander Roger Hodgson Roger Taylor Sammy Hagar Scott Weiland Sebastian Bach Shannon Hoon Sheryl Crow Sid Vicious Slash Steve Earle Steve Tyler Steve Perry Steve Vai Steve Winwood Stevie Ray Vaughan Sting Tom Cochrane Tommy Lee Tommy Shaw Trent Reznor Vince Neil Zack de la Rocha

For many rock fans, this is what the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame should represent (even if it happens to be almost entirely white). If the Rock Hall also saw it that way, they might even have a chance to induct most of those people. But that’s not the way the Hall of Fame wants to represent rock and roll. They choose a far more ambitious path -- to include many of the different branches that sprung from the roots of rock and roll, including disco, electronic music, pop, and most controversially, hip hop. That makes their task exponentially more difficult. It’s hard enough to properly honor and represent the most important artists of one genre, but to try to capture the essence of popular music from the past half-century becomes an impossible task. There will inevitably be important artists who get left behind which leaves fans of all genres eternally frustrated. The current format of inducting just five artists per year does a huge disservice to their mission “to celebrate the musicians who founded, changed and revolutionized rock & roll,” when their definition of rock and roll includes an ever-expanding number of artists and genres. The Rock Hall has created an intractable problem.